Fear Is Love
by kateandharvey
Summary: After "The Hanukkah Story" what happened between Niles and CC? Possibly this...
1. Chapter 1

AN: This is somewhat what I think should've happened in "The Hanukkah Story" I wish there was a Niles/CC moment after they were rescued! So anyway, here is my version of what happened...

**Fear Is Love**

**kateandharvey**

After everyone was gone, and the Sheffield's and children tucked away and asleep in their beds, Niles was in the kitchen doing a little cleaning. Actually, he was scrubbing the counter with such brutal force he thought his hand would snap off of his wrist.

He gave a good hard effort at trying to sleep, really he did! But he couldn't help but wonder what would've happened had CC not returned unharmed. Surely, he would have gone mad! He immediately thought. No one to torment, or prank, or make fun of. No one to dish water their coffee, or irritate during the day. But then his mind drifted into another place. Territory he'd begun to travel many times, but had never made it completely through. It was dangerous territory, and he himself knew. But he couldn't resist the temptation to let himself believe, even if only for a moment, that he loved CC Babcock.

He looked up as he heard the door swinging closed.

He couldn't believe it. He rubbed his eyes, for he swore he was seeing an illusion.

"What are you doing up?" She whispered.

He shrugged, "Couldn't sleep."

She chuckled, walking over to the opposite end of the counter. "I know the feeling."

They stood in a comfortable silence for a moment before he spoke, "What was it like?" He tenderly asked her, his eyes filled with sympathy.

She shrugged sadly, "Life changing." Shaking off her sadness and pulling herself together she continued. "Having a near death experience really makes you analyze your life."

He watched her as she spoke.

"And when I did, I realized all of the dreams I'd had were still unaccomplished."

"You're a successful Broadway producer, you've made my life a pain, and you've got a lovely roof over your head." He paused, "What goals haven't you accomplished?"

"All of the important ones." She replied as her sadness returned. "I haven't gotten married, I've given birth to 0 of 6 children I originally planned on having, and I've helped no one and nobody with their lives. I'm a failure."

Covering his surprise, Niles responded, "Better late than never."

"But that's the thing, Niles. It'll probably be never."

He sighed, and knew that this was the right time. "CC, look at me." When she complied, he continued. "When I found out where you were tonight, I was worried sick. I didn't know if you'd come back, or if you'd be alright, or if I'd ever get the chance to tell you..."

"Tell me what?" She whispered quietly, hoping it was what she thought.

Suddenly realizing that maybe this wasn't the correct time, and afraid he was taking advantage of her emotional state, Niles whispered "That I enjoy your company."

Heart broken, yanking her hand from his grasp, CC told him coldly, "That was low, Niles. It was far too below the belt."

"You would know." As soon as he said them, he regretted them. "I'm sorry, CC. Force of habit. I didn't mean-"

Halfway up the stairs, she turned. Her eyes filled with tears. "I don't need your pity, Niles."

And she fled up to her room.

* * *

Many weeks after their talk, The Sheffields began planning a trip to Hawaii. Making Fran and Maxwell too busy to notice the shift in CC and Niles' relationship.

"In this same kitchen," He whispered to himself as he cleaned up after the dinner mess. "I almost confessed I love _her_. _To her_." He shook his head and kept cleaning as Fran burst into the room.

"Niles, Sweetie," She began, "I need a _huge _favor from you!"

He sighed. "What is it, Mrs. Sheffield?"

She looked at him apologetically. "I can't convince him to leave the children here, even though I love them dearly. But I do need you to convince him to leave Miss Babcock and yourself here."

"Mrs. Sheffield!" He exclaimed, "I really want to go to Hawaii."

"I understand that, Niles. But if I don't get some alone time with my husband before we become parents, I'm going to lose it." She grinned a fake grin, irritated.

He sighed, "What's in it for me?"

"A whole weekend without anyone around for you to spend quality time with 'CC'" She told him, making quotation marks with her hands.

"And why would I want to spend two days and one night with Babcock?" He asked.

"So you can confess your love for her and-"

"Niles, Old Man!" Maxwell yelled from the other room, walking towards the kitchen.

"-Herehecomessopleasecoverforme." Fran finished in a breath as Maxwell walked into the room.

"Niles, would you like to spend the weekend in Hawaii with Fran and I? And the children, also of course."

He wanted to say yes. Oh... how he wanted to say yes. But, looking at Fran's puppy dog eyes over his boss' shoulder, he caved. "No thank you, Sir. I think I'll just stay here and relax."

Maxwell, not finding Niles' behavior at all unusual, shrugged and mumbled, "Hmm. CC doesn't want to go either. That's very funny..." And he exited the room.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Fran exclaimed, wrapping her arms around the butler. "Niles, I can't thank you enough!" And she followed her husband out of the room as CC walked in.

"Hey, Benson. I need a water." She told him, and leaned against the counter.

"You need a face lift too, but you don't see me complaining." He smirked.

She glared, and stormed out of the kitchen.

_One night and two days... Oh, this was going to be fun!_ He thought.


	2. Chapter 2

**Fear Is Love**

**Chapter 2**

**kateandharvey**

CC sobbed, and sobbed...and sobbed.

_"I don't want to die, Maxwell!" She screamed, shaking his lifeless body. "You have to get me out of here! Please! Don't do this to me!"_

_She turned to Gracie in the passenger seat. Her lips blue, and eyes half closed. "I-I-I'm s-s-so c-c-cold Mis-Miss Ba-bab- Babcock."_

_Grabbing her by the shoulders the same she did to Maxwell, she shook the little girl. "Gracie! Listen to me! You have to stay awake! You have to!" _

_Little Gracie shook her head once before it fell forward, slumping her body with it._

_"No!" CC screamed, "No!" She sobbed as she spoke, "I can't die! Not now! This can't be happening! Please, Niles!" She yelled, looking upward. "I love you! Please!"_

"Please..." She mumbled, "Please..."

"Miss Babcock!" Niles yelled, shaking her awake.

She awoke with a gasp. Breathing heavily, she turned to Niles with scared, wide eyes.

He sat down next to her on the bed. "You had a bad dream. You're fine."

Nodding her head, CC took a moment to catch her breath.

"Do you want to talk about it?" He aske

d her sincerely.

She shook her head, and asked a question of her own. "What happened?"

He took her hand in his, the same he did _that _night. Their eyes immediately connected, and he dropped her hand like it burned him. "The Sheffield's are currently stuck in Hawaii. There's a tsunami that is supposed to come in soon, and they can't fly out. We don't know how long they'll be there. You, however, are sick. You've got the flu."

"Is that why I feel like sh- Tsunami?" She screamed.

He nodded, and smiled sadly. "That was my reaction."

Suddenly, her eyes turned sad. "Niles... tsunami's _kill _people."

He nodded, "I know."

Before she could respond, she took off for the bathroom.

As she heaved into the toilet, he held her hair back, and rubbed her back comfortingly. When she was done, and she turned, he was holding a washcloth for her to wipe her face.

He left the room for her to brush her teeth, but when she re-entered the bedroom, he was there.

"What?" She asked, as she'd been in the room a whole minute and he'd done nothing to explain to here why we was still there.

"Nothing." He shrugged.

"Why're you still here?" She asked. "Not that I don't enjoy your company, I just... I'm sorry." She shook her head, "I'm exhausted."

He smirked, "It's quite alright. But you need to go back to bed." He nodded towards the bed, and she walked over and climbed back in.

He nodded, "I'll be in the kitchen if you need anything, Miss Babcock." And he turned to leave.

"Wait!" She caught him just before he disappeared. "You aren't going to stay?"

He shrugged.

"Just for a little bit? Until I fall asleep?"

He nodded, "Very well, then." And he resumed his spot in the chair next to her bed.

"Can we play a game?" She asked.

"You're supposed to be resting."

"I am. I'm not working, am I?" She asked with a smirk.

He sighed, and returned her smirk. "What is it you'd like to play?"

She thought about it for a moment, before asking him. "Would you rather eat 10 live spiders or drink a glass of sour milk?"

He smiled. "Sour milk, definitely."

They played for a little while, asking silly questions, until the questions began to turn more serious, more revealing.

"Would you rather live across the country all by yourself or live with me here in New York? She asked seriously.

"I'd rather live all the way across the country with you." He replied.

After a moment of silent eye connection, He asked, clearing his throat, "Can we play a different game?"

She nodded. "Uh... Sure. Go ahead and pick."

"Truth or Dare?"

"Truth." She picked.

"Do you have any tattoos?"

She laughed, "No."

He smirked, "You can't blame a guy for asking."

She smiled, "Do you?"

His brow furrowed playfully, "You can't ask me a question! I didn't even get a choice! Maybe I was going to pick dare!"

"You're playing with _me_. You were most certainly not going to pick dare. Now, answer the question." She grinned back.

"Possibly."

"Possibly?" She asked, waggling her eye brows, "And just what is that supposed to mean?"

He shrugged, blushing slightly. "What I said, 'Possibly.'"

"Show me." She told him.

"What? No way!"

"Ha!" She exclaimed. "So you _do _have one!"

"I didn't say that." He warned.

She begged, "Please?"

"No. Absolutely not." He shook his head.

"Why not?" She whined.

"Because, just...no."

She crossed her arms. "Fine. But you have to answer another question."

He sighed, "Fine." He'd agree to anything to get out of this.

"What were you really going to say to me in the kitchen that night?"


	3. Chapter 3

**Fear Is Love**

**Chapter 3**

**kateandharvey**

"Well," He struggled to tell her how he felt without blowing it. "I..." He took a deep breath, and looked her straight in the eyes. "I certainly wasn't going to tell you what I did."

She nodded, "I kind of gathered that." She paused, "Listen, Niles. I'm really sorry about the way I acted that night. I was immature and selfish, and... I'm sorry." She smirked sadly.

He told her seriously, "You have nothing to apologize for. I was being a bloody idiot. I should've never played with your emotions."

She shrugged, "Well, you could make up for it one way..." Feeling as if they needed to be pulled from this dangerous territory, she told him, "You could show me your tattoo."

He laughed deeply. "Yes, I suppose I could, couldn't I?"

She nodded, "You could."

"But I won't." He told her.

"Then you have to answer the question." She told him.

He shook his head, "I think you need some rest, Miss Babcock." He stood up, patted her leg, and leaned over to kiss her on the forehead.

"Sleep tight. I'll be in the kitchen.." He smiled softly, and left the room.

CC knew he'd avoided her question, but drifted off to sleep anyway.

That night, as Niles prepared for bed, he removed his shirt and looked at himself in the mirror._ It was such a stupid decision_. He decided. A tattoo.

Shaking his head, he continued to admire the artwork on the top of the left side of his chest. The _"2XC" _printed on his chest in the black ink lined in blue stared at him. Daring him to show it to her. _Would she know what it meant? Would she be shocked? Would she like it? Hate it? _ The thoughts ran through his head like crazy. After quickly checking on CC, Niles went to bed.

"No!" Niles woke up to CC's screaming. "No!" He heard again. "Niles!" She screamed, and he jumped out of bed and ran towards her room, completely forgetting his shirt.

He ran into her room, and tried to talk her out of it. "CC... CC! It's just a dream, wake up. CC!" He yelled, with no help at all.

He reached for her and gently shook her awake. "CC." He called her name, and she opened her eyes.

"Niles?" She asked sleepily.

He sat next to her on her bed. "Yes. I'm right here. It's alright, you had another bad dream.

She nodded, "Thank you." She said, looking up at him.

He smiled, "You're welcome."

She smiled back, and then her eyes noticed the letters on his bare chest. Silently, her hand reached out and touched them.

Niles held his breath, cursing himself for forgetting his shirt.

"Two, X, C." She whispered, tracing the out line of the ink. "What does it stand for?" She asked him.

He finally exhaled. She didn't know. "My mother. Catherine Cassandra."

She looked up at him a little confused. "I thought your mother's name was Marie?"

"Well... " He stumbled, "Did I say my mother? I meant my grandmother."

"Your grandmother's name is Marie also. Niles... what aren't you telling me about?" She asked him suspiciously.

Niles sighed. He knew that _this _was _the _moment. "CC..." He took her hand in his.

She shook her head, tears starting to form. "Don't say it unless you mean it, Niles."

He grabbed her hand with both of his, and leaned toward her. "But I do, CC. And I should've told you that night in the kitchen. But when I started to... I just... I got scared."

"Scared?" She asked, "Scared of what?"

"That you wouldn't return my feelings." He revealed, looking down into his lap.

"Oh Niles..."

"CC, now is the right time. I'm sure of it. So, CC Babcock," He took a deep breath as CC smiled at him. "I lo-"

_Ring! Ring! Ring!_

He sighed, and rested his forehead against hers. "It may be Mrs. or Mr. Sheffield. I'm sorry." He told her, and she smiled, understanding, even if she was a little disappointed.

"Sheffield-Really?" Niles' formal answer quickly changed to a surprised 'really?' "Yes...Yes...uh-hu...That's wonderful! No, Babcock and me haven't killed each other yet. No... No... Really? Wonderful, that's great! I'm glad. Alright then, goodbye."

Niles hung up the phone and turned to CC. "That was Miss Margaret." At CC's confused look, "The Big One. She said Fran had the twins, and their names are Jonah and Eve, and that they should be back within a week! Isn't that wonderful?"

CC smiled, and nodded.

Niles' smile dropped off of his face. "What's wrong?"


	4. Chapter 4

AN: Finally! Here's the next chapter. Let's remember that "The Hanukkah Story" comes right after "Making Whoopi" So what's wrong with CC? You'll find out...

**Fear Is Love **

**Chapter 4**

**kateandharvey**

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing." She quickly replied, "I just feel a little nauseous all of a sudden." A confused look crossed her face.

"Well, you have had the flu, my dear." Niles reminded her. "For quite a while, now."

"Have I been to the doctor?" She asked, "For the flu, I mean."

He shook his head, "I didn't think it was that serious." He paused, "But now that you mention it..."

"What?"

"You have been throwing up for a week. Very groggy, headaches..." He began to list a few of her symptoms.

"Keep going." She demanded, "What else have a complained about?"

He shook his head and shrugged. "I don't know, uh..." He counted off on his fingers. "Vomiting, headaches, nausea, excessive bathroom use..." He stopped, "That's all I can really think of... Oh! And you've been quite moody, well, more moody than usual." He smirked, "I didn't even realize how long you've been sick. I was just waiting on the Sheffields. I suppose I got a little distracted."

She smiled. "It's alright, Niles. But I think I should go to the doctor."

He nodded, "Okay, then. I'll go down stairs and schedule you an appointment."

She stopped him as he walked toward the door, "Niles? I need the soonest appointment they can get me. Okay?"

He nodded, "Of course. I'll return momentarily."

And he left CC to her thoughts.

_Oh my goodness. _She thought as she lay there on her bed. _What have I gotten myself into? Calm down, CC! _She scolded herself. _You don't even know for sure. It could just be a coincidence... _She scolded herself once again, _Yeah, CC! It's a coincidence you slept will Niles and you've had the 'flu' for a week!_

"Miss Babcock?" He asked, coming back into the room.

"Yes?"

"The doctor can't see you until tomorrow, is that alright?"

She sighed. "Actually, Niles... I think I'm just going to go and do some shopping."

His brow furrowed. "But I thought you said..."

"It's fine!" She told him smiling, suddenly nervous around him. "I'll just run up to the store quickly, and come right back. You won't even notice I'm gone!"

She was running around the room, pulling clothes from the drawers and getting ready to head into the bathroom when he blocked her path. She smiled, "Niles... What are you doing?"

"What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing!" She happily exclaimed.

His eyes narrowed as her nervousness increased. "You're not going to the store alone."

"Yes I am." She told him stubbornly.

He shook his head, "No, you're not."

_How am I supposed to find out what's wrong with me if I can't go to the store alone? He certainly won't let me go to the doctor's alone... Nanny Fine! She just recently has been trying to get pregnant, right? Yeah! Only like... nine months ago! She must have another test laying around here! _

"Fine," She said, throwing her clothes at him. "I'm going to take a nap, then." And she walked over to the bed and lay down on it. Covering herself up and closing her eyes, she told Niles, "Goodnight."

Narrowing his eyes at her once again, he put her clothes away and walked out of the room.

As soon as Niles had left, CC thought of something that was sure to give her a direct answer. She jumped out of bed, and ran across the room to her purse, grabbing her calendar out of it. Stopping momentarily to think of he date, she flipped quickly through the book, and soon realized that she was late. Weeks late.

She ran out of her bedroom door, and checking as Niles' back walked away, darted across the hall and into the Sheffields' room. She immediately ran into the bathroom and open the cupboard under the sink, she dug, and moved, and shoved objects as she went when she finally found it... a pregnancy test.

* * *

As Niles walked down the hallway, still not convinced with her behavior, he began to wonder why she would want so bad to go to the store alone... _What did she want to buy? Personal toiletries? No... Let's see... her symptoms are moody, (not really out of the ordinary), headaches, vomiting, (mostly in the morning), and.... Vomiting.... mostly in the morning? _He stopped, _Is Babcock...pregnant? _And he quickly turned and headed back towards her room.

"Babcock?" He called into the room. When he got no response, he checked the bathroom. And when she was still not found, he walked back into the hallway. The sound of running water filled his ears, and he followed it directly into the master bedroom.

Quietly, he walked into the room, and when he heard a crunch underneath his feet, he looked down. Under his foot was an empty pregnancy test box. Picking it up, he walked further into the room, and turned left to the sound of the water. And there sat CC Babcock, using the stick that came in the box.

"Niles!" She screeched, and he closed his eyes and turned around immediately. "What are you doing?" He heard.

"What am _I _doing?" He replied, "What're _you _doing?"

Without thinking, she screamed back at him, "I'm trying to find out if I'm pregnant with _your_ offspring!"


	5. Chapter 5

AN: Okay, I know that there's no way Fran would have the twins right after "Making Whoopi" But just use your imagination, and believe it could happen. It's called fan FICTION for a reason. ;)

**Fear Is Love**

**Chapter 5**

**kateandharvey**

The room turned silent quickly. Niles quietly asked her, still facing away, "What are you talking about?"

"Give me a second, and I'll come out and tell you." She said, matching the volume of his voice.

He left the master room and went into hers. He sat down on the bed, and waited. It wasn't long before she appeared in the doorway.

Setting the magic stick down on the desk by the door, she walked into the room. She took a deep breath, and sat down next to him.

Without looking at him, she asked, "Do you remember when you and I ate those cookies?"

"The ones that were supposed to be for Fran?"

"Yeah." She paused, "What else do you remember?"

He thought for a moment, "Us being attracted to one another... And the closet."

She smiled a small smile at the memory. "The closet." She took another deep breath. "We did it in the closet."

He nodded, "I know."

"I'm late."

"Okay."

"I could be pregnant." She looked at him, "With your child."

He refrained from smiling. "I don't want you to get offended, but..."

"I'm sure." She smiled, "It's yours."

"How?"

She laughed out loud. "If it wasn't yours, there'd already _be _a child."

He chuckled lightly. "I'll take your word for it."

"You should!" She smacked him playfully, despite the fact that the tension in the room was so thick.

"You think it's done?" He smiled down at her.

She shrugged, "We could check it."

"We?" He asked, surprised. "You don't want to check it yourself?"

She shook her head, "It's your child too."

_Ding Dong! Ding Dong! _The door bell rang loudly in the quiet mansion from downstairs.

"I'll go get it, you check it." He told her, and after kissing her forehead, he left the room.

* * *

"Niles!" Fran screamed, hugging her friend.

"Mrs. Sheffield! I thought you weren't going to be home for another few days?"

Maxwell, along with the five children entered the room. "We've come home early, Old Man."

"And oh, how great it is to be home!" Maggie exclaimed, walking in with a pink baby carrier.

Brighton followed behind with a blue one, and Gracie entered after them. She ran over and hugged Niles before sitting down on the couch.

"The blue one's Jonah." Maxwell told his dearest friend, "And the pink one is Eve's."

"Honey!" Fran scolded her husband, "I told you, you have to introduce Eve first, she's olda!"

Maxwell sighed, looking at Niles. He laughed at Fran's silliness.

Then, CC came running down the steps, nearly tripping.

"Niles! Niles!" She yelled.

"What's it say?" He asked as she came to the bottom of the steps.

The rest of the family watched in awe as CC smiled at Niles, "Look for yourself."

He took the white wand from her hand and looked at the readout: 

"Positive?" He asked her, and she nodded. "We're having a baby?" She nodded again, smiling. "We're having a baby!" He yelled, hugging her, and swinging her around.

She leaned down and kissed her passionately, and after she broke away, he smiled. "Oh, CC I love you!"

Her smiled got ever bigger, if that was possible, as the tears made their way down her face. "Oh, Niles! I love you too!"

As the new couple embraced once again, Fran looked at her family. She asked, pointing,"What's up with them?"

THE END

AN: I'm sorry to say that this little story has ended, but thank you for all of your reviews! I really enjoy it!


End file.
